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Jennafer Peery got the call for Broadway two months after finding out she was pregnant. Wicked held her spot through the pregnancy and three months postpartum. Then she went back. We talk about what it actually costs to have two dreams come true at the same time: the daycare guilt, the exhaustion she didn't feel until she stopped, the bedtimes she missed for two years, and why the first year of motherhood is secretly the glory days. Plus her advice for anyone in the industry waiting until they're "ready" for kids (spoiler: you'll never be ready), and what she hopes her daughter learns from watching her mom fight for her dreams.

Alexandra and Landon are back! They first came on Mommywood when Alexandra was pregnant and living in LA. Two years later: they're married, they have a 2-year-old son (Aiden), and they left LA for Georgia. We get into all of it — the UCLA benefits mix-up, the LA fires, evacuating with a baby who had RSV, and the kitchen-table moment they decided to just go. They road-tripped for three months, sold their LA townhome, and bought a house in Georgia sight unseen. (Daycare update: $1,400/month, five days a week, diapers and food included — vs. $1,600 for two days a week in LA.) Landon taped his Matlock audition while Alexandra was having contractions. She booked an NBC pilot after they moved. And they go deep on the stuff nobody talks about: postpartum anxiety — his and hers — intrusive "zombie thoughts," preventative couples therapy, the identity valley of not feeling like an actor anymore, and how parenthood rewired their ambition completely. Landon's line: "Don't be in a rush to be busy. Be in a rush to be free." Chapters:00:00 — Catching up: married, baby Aiden, and "we live in Georgia"01:21 — Why they left LA03:20 — The fires, the evacuation, and Aiden's RSV05:28 — Buying a house sight unseen06:31 — Daycare: $1,400 in Georgia vs. $1,600 in LA07:42 — Leaving LA: the ego and career fears11:01 — Booking an NBC pilot after moving13:04 — "I don't feel like an actor anymore"15:57 — How parenthood changed their ambition18:55 — Postpartum anxiety, "zombie thoughts," and couples therapy23:04 — Landon's pivot into real estate24:27 — Finding time for yourselves29:04 — What surprised them most about parenthood32:53 — "I love him so much, it hurts" — joy and grief side by side37:36 — Unsolicited advice for new parents40:13 — Advice for actors who want to become parents42:19 — "Don't be in a rush to be busy. Be in a rush to be free."45:51 — Moral of the story: everybody move to Georgia

Julie Marchiano is a Second City Chicago alum, was on Barry (HBO), and books national commercials — and she's also a mom to a 3-year-old, figuring out the same juggle we all are. In this one: the time she met Henry Winkler while folding jeans at the mall, years before booking Barry; why she never wanted kids (until she suddenly did); the real math of making it work as a working actor — including going back to a full-time job for 15 months; and why there's never a "right time" to have a baby in this industry. Honest, funny, and full of the stuff actors don't usually say out loud.

What does success look like after becoming a parent—and when the career you love doesn't always go according to plan? This week, Emily sits down with writer, director, actor, comedian, and podcast host Ilana Cohn for an honest conversation about navigating motherhood while building a creative career in Hollywood. Ilana opens up about the reality of raising two kids while wearing countless creative hats, redefining success after motherhood, surviving the entertainment industry's constant ups and downs, and why creating your own opportunities has never been more important. She also shares her mental health journey, the unexpected path that led her to sobriety, how becoming a mom shifted her perspective on ambition, and why she hopes her kids grow up knowing that creativity is always worth pursuing. Plus, they chat about working alongside their actor husbands, parenting in the age of AI and smartphones, balancing stability with artistic fulfillment, and—because this is motherhood—a very memorable conversation about battling lice. Whether you're an actor, a creative, or simply a parent trying to hold onto your dreams while raising tiny humans, this episode is a reminder that success doesn't have to look the way you imagined—it can evolve right alongside you.

What do you do when the industry doesn't make room for your story? You tell it yourself. This week on Mommywood, I chat with actor, playwright, director, and creator Minita Gandhi to talk about building a career on your own terms. From acting on television to writing deeply personal work like Muthaland, Minita shares how she stopped waiting for permission, the importance of authentic representation, and why creating your own opportunities can be the most powerful move in Hollywood. They also dive into navigating rejection, redefining success, staying creatively inspired, and what keeps you going through the inevitable ups and downs of an entertainment career. Whether you're an actor, creator, or simply someone chasing a dream, this conversation is filled with honesty, wisdom, and encouragement.

What if we actually said the things we usually only think? This week, I'm sharing the conversations that have been taking up way too much space in my head lately—from questioning my acting career, to wondering if we're supposed to stay in Los Angeles, to feeling guilty that my husband has carried so much of our family's financial load. I also talk about making friends as an adult, motherhood, getting older, and why social media can make it feel like everyone else has everything figured out. Spoiler: I don't. If you've ever felt like your brain is a little too loud lately, this one's for you.

Are we actually living motherhood... or are we documenting it? In this solo episode of Mommywood, I'm unpacking how social media has changed the way we experience motherhood. From matching pajamas and perfectly curated birthday parties to feeling like every sweet moment should become a photo or Reel, it's easy to wonder whether we're making memories—or making content. As someone who's actively trying to grow a brand online while raising a young daughter, I feel this tension every day. I love documenting memories, but I also want to be fully present for them. This isn't about blaming social media. It's about asking honest questions: • Has motherhood become a performance?• When does documenting become distracting?• How do we preserve memories without missing the moments that matter? If you've ever reached for your phone before simply soaking in a beautiful moment with your child, this conversation is for you.

You can love your child more than anything... and still not love every part of motherhood. In this solo episode of Mommywood, I'm talking about the parts of motherhood that so many of us feel—but rarely admit out loud. The overstimulation. The invisible mental load. The decision fatigue. The guilt for wanting alone time. The pressure to "cherish every second." Motherhood isn't either/or. It's both. You can be deeply grateful for your child while also acknowledging that some parts of parenting are exhausting, repetitive, lonely, and overwhelming. Those truths don't cancel each other out. If you've ever wondered, "Am I a bad mom for feeling this way?" this episode is for you. Because the more honest we are about motherhood, the less alone we all feel.

I Thought Motherhood Would Make Me Disappear. It Didn’t. Before I became a mom, I was honestly terrified of losing myself. I felt like everywhere I looked, the story was the same: motherhood changes you completely. You stop recognizing yourself. Your dreams go on pause. Your entire identity becomes “mom.” And while I understood that for a lot of women, I also quietly panicked thinking… wait, what if I disappear? But the weird thing is… I don’t actually feel like I disappeared. And sometimes I almost feel guilty saying that out loud. Because yes, motherhood changed me. Of course it did. I’m more emotional now. More protective. More anxious in some ways. More intentional. I cry at literally everything. But underneath all of that, I still feel like me. Actually, if anything, motherhood amplified who I already was. I didn’t suddenly stop caring about acting or creating or working. I didn’t become a completely different person overnight. I still want things for myself. I still have ambition. I still love my daughter more than anything in the world, while also wanting a life outside of being someone’s mom. And for a while, I thought maybe that meant I was doing motherhood wrong. There’s so much conversation around losing yourself after kids that when you don’t fully relate to that experience, it can feel isolating too. Like maybe you’re not attached enough. Or not selfless enough. Or not “mom” enough. But I don’t think there’s one correct way to experience motherhood. Some women feel completely transformed. Some feel cracked open emotionally. Some feel disconnected from who they were before. And some of us feel more like ourselves than ever — just stretched, exhausted, emotional, and trying to do twelve things at once. I think motherhood reveals you more than it replaces you. It forces you to get honest about what matters. About what you need. About the parts of yourself you refuse to lose. And honestly? I think that’s allowed. You’re allowed to love your kid obsessively and still care about your career. You’re allowed to miss parts of your old life without wanting your current one to disappear. You’re allowed to still feel ambitious, creative, funny, selfish sometimes, overwhelmed, grateful, and fully yourself all at the same time. None of it cancels the other out. I just wish we talked more about the fact that motherhood doesn’t look emotionally identical for everyone. There’s room for all of our experiences here. So if you’ve ever secretly felt like, “Wait… I still kind of feel like me?” — I just want you to know you’re not alone. And if you do feel like you lost yourself completely, you’re not alone either. Both things can be true in different homes, different bodies, different lives. But for me personally? Motherhood didn’t erase me. It made me more me.

In this solo episode of Mommywood, I’m opening up about my personal experience taking tirzepatide after struggling with postpartum weight, brain fog, exhaustion, and constant “food noise” after having my daughter. I talk about what finally pushed me to try it, how it affected my relationship with food, my confidence, energy levels, and even the way I approach self-tapes as an actor mom. I’m also sharing the questions I wrestled with around body image, motherhood, stigma, and whether it felt like “cheating.” Plus, I answer listener questions about side effects, costs, microdosing, acting, parenting, and what happens after stopping. This episode is not medical advice — it’s simply me honestly sharing my own experience navigating wellness, identity, and confidence in motherhood and Hollywood.

Emmy-winning writer, producer, and showrunner Tracey Wigfield (30 Rock, Great News, Saved by the Bell) joins Mommywood for an honest conversation about motherhood, ambition, career pressure, and the invisible guilt so many working moms carry. Tracey opens up about running television shows while pregnant, going back to work days after giving birth, navigating postpartum emotions, and the internal pressure women feel — even when they’re the boss. We talk about:✨ balancing creativity and motherhood✨ why becoming a mom changed her leadership style✨ the unrealistic expectations placed on working women✨ career ambition after kids✨ mom guilt, postpartum struggles & perfectionism✨ building a support system in Hollywood This episode is vulnerable, funny, validating, and deeply relatable for any mom trying to balance work, identity, and family — whether you work in entertainment or not.

This episode is brought to you by Dondersteen Lang Fisher (Never Have I Ever, The Four Seasons, 30 Rock, The Mindy Project) joins Mommywood to talk about becoming a single mom by choice, building a wildly successful career in comedy, and learning to let go of perfectionism after having her son. Lang opens up about having a baby with her gay best friend, the unconventional co-parenting setup that unexpectedly worked beautifully, getting her start at The Onion, feeling intimidated in the 30 Rock writers room with Tina Fey, and becoming a first-time showrunner while pregnant. We also talk about imposter syndrome, ambition after motherhood, pandemic parenting, why moms make efficient bosses, and how having kids changes the way you tell stories. This episode is funny, honest, vulnerable, and one of my favorite conversations about creating a life on your own terms.

I wanted to bring back this conversation with Audrey Moore because honestly… it feels more relevant now than ever, especially with Self Tape May starting now. This episode turned into such a real conversation about what it actually looks like to pursue acting while also trying to have a life, relationships, kids, stability, rest… all the things we rarely talk about honestly in this industry. Audrey and I get into the “math” of it all — time, energy, money — and how becoming a parent changes the equation in ways nobody really prepares you for. We talk about self tapes, childcare, friendship shifts, support systems, burnout, and the pressure to feel like you should somehow be able to do everything perfectly all at once. I also loved hearing Audrey’s perspective on choosing not to have kids and the ways she intentionally shows up for the parents in her life. There’s so much honesty and compassion in this conversation. And with Self Tape May here, I think this episode is such a good reminder that practice, preparation, and transparency matter a lot more than pretending we all have it figured out. I hope this one makes you feel a little less alone. This episode is sponsored by Dondersteen use code MOMMYWOOD for 20% off

Actor, musician, writer—and longtime friend—Rob Benedict is back on Mommywood in this special recut highlights episode that feels even more meaningful listening back now. Before I was a mom, I was Rob’s kids’ nanny, so this conversation is deeply full-circle. We talk about raising kids while building a career in entertainment, what support really looks like, and how parenting shifts your identity in ways no one can prepare you for. Rob opens up about becoming a dad again at 53 with a newborn daughter, what’s different this time around, co-parenting through life’s unexpected turns, and why “having it all” might really mean having a village. We get into: Balancing acting careers and family lifeWhat changes (and doesn’t) when you start over as a parentThe myth of doing it all aloneParenting adult kids and a newbornWhy support systems matter more than everThe full-circle magic of friendship through every seasonIt’s funny, nostalgic, honest, and very Mommywood.

Today on Mommywood, I’m joined by actor and mom Tristan Cunningham — and this conversation covers everything we don’t usually hear about. Tristan shares her journey from growing up in Vermont and performing in a traveling youth circus, to building a career in theater and television — and what it really looks like to be a “working actor” in the in-between. We talk about: Building a career through co-stars, rejection, and learning to “serve the story”The moment she booked Reasonable Doubt — and why she thought she wasn’t readyFinding out she was pregnant at the same time her career was gaining momentumChoosing to become a single mom when her child’s father wasn’t involvedThe fear of telling production she was pregnant… and expecting to lose the jobShooting while pregnant, flying home days before giving birth, and returning to set with her babyHow motherhood changed her acting, her preparation, and her perspectiveFrom circus training to juggling self-tapes with a toddler, Tristan’s story is honest, layered, and deeply real. This episode is about more than acting — it’s about identity, resilience, and learning to trust yourself when nothing goes according to plan. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right… and still wondering if it’s enough — this one’s for you.